Susan Strawbridge specializes in child photography in the DC area. Inspired by love, light and laughter, my goal is to capture the essence of childhood – joy, happiness, carefree energy and, of course, a little bit of mischief. I have an energetic, creative and informal approach to my portrait sessions. Instead of relying on traditional poses, I prefer to tap into the imagination of children to capture special moments that define a child or who you are as a family.

Luckily for me, my awesome clients tend to have an incredible amount of love and laughter – it's up to me to capture it in a genuine way that is powerful, vibrant and moving. As you can see in my sample gallery, my primary focus is on expressions and engagement – for me, these are the most important aspects of an enduring AND endearing photo. My goal is to take photographs that provide an intimate look into how life was at that time, photos that may evoke one emotion today and a totally different emotion in ten years.

I love kids at any age, but toddlers might be my favorite subject to photograph. They are hilarious, might not listen to instructions, pick their nose and keep moving all the time, but we have so much fun that they act candidly in front of the camera. They are wild, full of energy, their personality is exploding…and it is that feeling that I love.

That said, my work includes families, dogs, corporate head shots, newborns, engagement and senior portraits, as well as product marketing and architectural interiors.

For more information about pricing, products, and availability please email me at susanstrawbridge@gmail.com.

Please follow me on Instagram @sstrawpics!

the session

Don't think formal, pained hour. Tell your kids we are having a play date! A portrait sitting should be fun for you and your kids -- I like to keep it casual, fun, creative and real. When children relax and feel comfortable, I can capture not only a moment but also an emotion. One of my greatest professional compliments came from a five year old who asked me towards the end of our session, "Can you come live with us?"

I am happy to report that I have yet to meet a child that I can't get to burst out laughing. True joy can not be faked! We will capture that joy in a fun, authentic way. Yes, I will help pose the family, but the most successful photos to me are the ones that appear to be candid and natural -- but direction and prompting takes the pressure off of you and makes everyone feel comfortable.

To give you 100% of my energy and attention, I only schedule one sitting a day, even in the busy fall season. Other photographers might offer less expensive "mini sessions," but I have learned that you can't operate that way and effectively capture the essence of a family. Once we pick a day, we have a clean slate to schedule around your demands as well as the ideal light. I will never tell you that the only available time slot is 12 noon!!

"You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing." (Michael Pritchard)

the goal

Capturing beautiful images is only the beginning of the process. The goal of every session is actually to breathe life into your images and create tangible heirlooms and material works of art that will be cherished forever. At the end of the day, I want you to have "memories you can hold." By creating art with these images, those tiny, stellar moments become memories that will remain as fresh and vital for you as they were that day with me. My style in photos, as well as products, tends to be very clean, simple and impactful.

I strongly, even vociferously, encourage you to schedule a free appointment to review your proofs in-person on my large screen to compare images, play with crops, pick favorite images and see awesome products that fit any style and budget.

We all have good intentions, but life gets in the way. We are all busy. Printing photos tends to fall to the bottom of the priority list. It is my job to keep the process from feeling overwhelming, make it fun and rewarding and, most importantly, to get these photos printed and displayed in your home in a stylish, unique and tasteful way.